Method of manufacturing printed products by insetting at least one subproduct into a main product and apparatus for carrying out the method

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for manufacturing printed products by insetting at least one subproduct and/or inserts into a main product, wherein at least the main products are grasped at the delivery of a printing machine by revolving gripping members of a conveying unit provided with an intermediate storage arrangement for inserting and delivering products, wherein the products are conveyed on conveying paths to an insetting machine formed of revolving insetting pockets, and wherein the products are taken up at the delivery of the printing machine by a first conveyor of the conveying unit connected to the insertion side of the intermediate storage arrangement and are transferred to a second conveyor of the conveying unit connected to the delivery side of the intermediate storage arrangement. The products grasped at the folds thereof are selectively transferred in front of the intermediate storage arrangement from the first conveyor with the folds facing forwardly on a direct transfer path to the second conveyor.

We claim:  
     
       1. A method of manufacturing printed products by insetting at least one subproduct and/or inserts into a main product, the method comprising grasping at least the main products at a delivery of a printing machine by revolving gripping members of a conveying unit provided with an intermediate storage arrangement for inserting and delivering products, conveying the products on conveying paths to an insetting machine formed of revolving insetting pockets, and taking up the products at the delivery of the printing machine by a first conveyor of the conveying unit connected to an insertion side of the intermediate storage arrangement and transferring the products to a second conveyor of the conveying unit connected to a delivery side of the intermediate storage arrangement, the method further comprising selectively transferring the products grasped at folds thereof in front of the intermediate storage arrangement from the first conveyor with the folds facing forwardly on a direct transfer path to the second conveyor. 
     
     
       2. The method according to claim  1 , wherein the products taken up at the delivery of the printing machine at the folds thereof are grasped at the folds thereof when transferred to the second conveyor. 
     
     
       3. The method according to claim  1 , comprising transferring the products form the first conveyor to the direct transfer path in an approximately parallel inclined position. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus for manufacturing printed products by insetting at least one subproduct and/or inserts into a main product, the apparatus comprising a conveying unit with revolving gripping members for picking up at least the main products at a delivery of a printing machine and for transferring the products on a conveying path to revolving insetting pockets of an insetting machine, the conveying unit comprising an intermediate storage arrangement having an insertion side and a delivery side, a first conveyor connected to the insertion side of the intermediate storage arrangement for taking up the products at the delivery of the printing machine and a second conveyor at the delivery side of the intermediate storage arrangement for feeding the insetting pockets of the insetting machine, the apparatus further comprising a transfer unit which can be switched on and off for connecting the first conveyor between the delivery of the printing machine and the intermediate storage arrangement to the second conveyor, and wherein the transfer unit is comprised of clamps fastened to revolving traction means. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to claim  4 , wherein the gripping members of the conveying unit and the clamps of the transfer unit have in a common transfer area of the products a direction of movement approximately in the same direction and an open position extending opposite a conveying direction of the products. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to claim  5 , wherein a path of the gripping members of the first conveyor and a path of the clamps of the transfer units intersect in a lower portion of the transfer unit in the transfer area of the products, and wherein the paths of the gripping members and of the clamps extend further in opposite directions. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to claim  6 , further comprising guide wheels for deflecting the paths. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to claim  6 , wherein the clamps of the transfer unit are arranged laterally offset relative to the gripping members of the first conveyor. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to claim  4 , wherein the transfer unit is configured for removing at least one partial quantity or no products of a quantity of products supplied by the printing machine. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to claim  4 , further comprising a control device for rendering inoperative certain clamps for effecting a partial transfer of the products or for interrupting the transfer of the products. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to claim  8 , wherein each clamp comprises a clamp arm moveable by control means against a spring force. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to claim  11 , wherein the moveable clamp arm is configured so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to claim  7 , wherein, in the transfer area, the guide wheel of the first conveyor has a smaller diameter than the guide wheel of the transfer unit. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to claim  13 , wherein axes of rotation of the guide wheels of the first conveyor and the transfer unit are arranged eccentrically relative to each other. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to claim  13 , wherein a distance between the clamps at the traction means of the transfer unit is greater than a distance between the gripping members of the first conveyor. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to claim  4 , wherein the transfer unit is comprised of traction means revolving on paths of guide rollers mounted on spaced-apart horizontal axes. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus according to claim  4 , wherein a transfer area between the transfer unit and the second conveyor is formed by a lower portion of the traction means for conveying the products and the second conveyor which intersects the lower portion at an acute angle. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to claim  17 , wherein the transfer area is located at an end of the lower portion of the transfer unit. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus according to claim  17 , wherein each gripping member of the second conveyor has a controllable moveable gripping component and an immoveable gripping component, and wherein each clamp of the transfer unit has a controllable moveable clamp arm and an immoveable clamp arm, and wherein the immoveable gripping components and the immoveable clamping arms form in the transfer area of the products a common clamping plane. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus according to claim  4 , wherein the gripping members of the second conveyor have a greater distance between each other than the clamps of the transfer unit, and wherein the gripping members are moved at a greater speed than the clamps. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus according to claim  17 , wherein the transfer unit and the second conveyor are connected through a drive and the speed of the transfer unit and the second conveyor is adjustable relative to the speed of the first conveyor.